Willunga 105 Smart Vineyard Grenache 2023
Bekkers Grenache 2022
G 95
G 96
Medium-deep colour. Pure dark plum, musky, dark cherry, raspberry, strawberry aromas with violet, Turkish delight notes. Supple and fleshy with lovely pure fruit flavours, slinky textures, very good mid-palate viscosity and plenty of mineral length. A sweet-fruited finish with a touch of aniseed. Classical and delicious. Drink now–2025 Bekkers Tome Syrah Cabernet Sauvignon Grenache 2022 G 95 Deep crimson. Intense dark plum, blackberry pastille, dark cherry, dark chocolate, hint marzipan aromas. Classical, generous and round with dark plum, dark cherry fruits, fresh chalky/hint grippy textures and underlying marzipan vanilla oak notes. Lovely weight, texture and flow with a crispy finish. Delicious to drink now. Drink now–2028 Curtis Wines Limited Series Shiraz 2021 G 95 A heady mix of violet, lavender and blackberry bush. Scattering of black olives and rosemary stem. Fruit is looking smart indeed with a veil of youth cloaked upon it. There are sappy tannins that evenly distribute throughout. A bright cranberry juice acidity and a feel of indulgence without being heavy. Oak communicates with cassia bark and vanilla specks. Still a while left in these legs; careful cellaring will see you through another five years. A classy drop. Drink now–2029 Curtis Wines Ancestor Shiraz 2021 G 95 A wondrous perfume of blueberries, violet and blackberries. Two-tone mulberries and blossoming wisteria. Crushed cardamom and allspice with a slice of earthy beetroot. Taut acidity keeps the wine funnelling down the palate. This could almost be a long-estranged Aussie cousin of Amarone; its tannins are a fine mesh of steel that drives the flavour forward. A carob and black tea bitterness adds further complexity. A towering figure of McLaren Vale’s power and beauty. Drink now–2030 Dandelion Vineyards Faraway Tree Grenache 2023 G 95 Wild cherries, brambles and blueberries. Blood plum juice and the perfume of tea roses. A savoury paperbark note coupled with tobacco pouch and cassia bark. Tannins are dusty and fine with an innate line of acidity. The wine is well integrated, shying away from the primary cordial and confectionery-like red fruits and, instead, offering more of the softer spices and earthy things. A touch of Swiss mushroom and autumn leaves. This is made for enjoying now, as it has come together in perfect harmony. It drinks like a gentle breeze on a warm day; welcome it in. Drink now– 2027
Whole berry ferment, basket pressed to majority stainless steel. A cacophony of raspberries, blood plums and cherry Liqueuer. Campari, bramble and quince. Astute tannins carried by poignant acidity. This feels like walking into a fancy day spa, expensive oils and running water over bedrock. It’s heavenly, and combines all the intoxicating spice of bush vine grenache with a deft hand at texture and frame. Sensational and hard to put down. Drink now–2030
Wirra Wirra The Angelus Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
G 96
A torrent of nostalgia is wrapped up in this wine, mostly because it captures the landscape of Australian bush and all the cassis fantasies of Cabernet Sauvignon. Blackberries on the vine, crushed gumleaf, prune plums and mulled wine. There is worn earthenware floor and beams of railway sleeper, grated nutmeg and wattleweed. Its tannin frame is ornately detailed with sturdy foundations but artfully designed. A hint of mushroom and black olive too. A fine drink now and will handle another 8–10 in the cellar to bring out those otherworldly flavours. Drink now–2034 Wirra Wirra Chook Block Shiraz 2021 G 96 A whirlpool of a wine; look closely, and you’ll find a mosaic of complexity in its depth. Drink swiftly; blink and it will be gone. So is the magic of true artisan winemaking. Here, the wine opens with glimmering blackcurrants and Bing cherries. A shard of red toffee apple. Caper leaf, Nyons olives and black cardamom pods. Its shape and form nothing short of delectable, perfectly ripe and smooth like silk. You can feel the pedigree of these grapes and oak tones sitting resting in the backseat. An aristocratic sense of poise. Stately. Drink now–2030 Battle of Bosworth Heretic Touriga, Mataro, Graciano, Shiraz 2023 G 95 The walk on the wild side begins with the dark inky stain and magenta hues in the glass. The wine is buoyant with smooshed cherries, top-of-the-tree plump mulberries and blackberry pie. Purple shiso leaf, violets and capers. Its herbal side is magnetic and draws you in for another glass. Acidity is enervated and continues the charms. Greater than the sum of its parts, this is pure enjoyment and just so darn savvy. Drink now–2028 Battle of Bosworth White Boar Shiraz Cordon Cut 2023 G 95 A bit of an enigma, this wine. I suggest you read less about it and taste more. Magenta in hues, you’ll find violets and beetroot earth tones. Wild blackberries and blackcurrant jam, soft liquorice and charred rosemary. Tannins sing to the high heavens in echoing dryness with a choir of thrilling acidity. Very rarely is this style done with such conviction. Alcohol moves through the wine like a second skin. It’s captivating and totally delicious. Drink now–2034
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The Vintage Journal – Regional Focus
South Australia 2024
263
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